Starting with random story?

[Dr. Livesey]

I finished the 'primary' story mode once. To start with, I'm not sure if by clicking the same regular start button again how different or the same the play will be. I do already know that locations are randomised, and that each location has a few variants (such as uninhabited one time or a bandit house another, etc), but what about the amount of days untill ceasefire, time until winter, and other settings that can be found in the make your own story mode?
If these settings are static for the main play mode, is there a way to have a randomised make your own story? I really don't want to tell me game exactly when it ends and etc, as part of the game is the mystery and struggle to survive until and through these events. For example in one game I lost 2 of my 3 people on the day 2 and day 1 before the ceasefire. If I set that day, I would have just left everyone home for 2 days to be safe and not desperately raid dangerous places, out of the lack of knowing the future and having to plan to survive over a week into the future, not just a few days.

[X-the Unknown]

If you stockpile water food and medicine the rest is fluff anyways no matter where you start.

There is a lot of randomness to it though and it basically uses the custom settings it just doesn't make you play 80 weeks. Most veterans and hardcore play it a lot differently than the vanilla game as to get some challenge out of it. Like no killing, no stealing, can't use day trader, no hospital :) No thieving. Must be a very moral person and not do anything that is basically a criminal act normally (the day trader sells stolen goods). :)) I never understood why wars gave people license to kill and rape and steal just because it's a war. :))

[Podrick, Spocky Ghoost of Bread]

I don't believe there is a way to just have everything randomized. Which really sucks imo. Think of how much more tragic it would be if you sent someone out to scavenge for supplies because you were low on food, but they are killed in the process due to the dangerous area and next day CEASEFIRE. Someone died looking for supplies to keep everybody alive when the war was going to end the next die anyway. Much more tragic and honestly maybe more realistic. Ofc the radio gives some clues but idk. I just think they really need a randomization option. And with custom stories wish you could choose some other things like if you happened to have a char or armchair, how many beds etc :/

[Dr. Livesey]

Originally posted by Podrick, Spocky Ghoost of Bread:

I don't believe there is a way to just have everything randomized. Which really sucks imo. Think of how much more tragic it would be if you sent someone out to scavenge for supplies because you were low on food, but they are killed in the process due to the dangerous area and next day CEASEFIRE. Someone died looking for supplies to keep everybody alive when the war was going to end the next die anyway. Much more tragic and honestly maybe more realistic.

As I mentioned, that actually happened to me. I was in medium-long term planning mode, thinking at least 3 days ahead on how I would survive. I don't think anyone was even hungry, but I only had 3 uncooked food pieces and nothing left to trade or manufacture into a trading item. The week or two leading up to the point was brutal with people being repeatedly wounded by raiders and such, so I thought my only hope to last longer than 4 days was to make a daring raid to steal food from a bandit house or score some valuable materials to trade or manufacture with. First attempt I was shot dead. Next day I had two wounded and sick people but decided to send one to the man and his father trading house, planning to stab him and steal some food. Attempt completely failed and I was beat to death by a crow bar or something (was too slow because wounded).
After this I had my sole surviver and decided, well this is it, will run out of food in a few days or will die or sickness/wounds, so just play out the last moments.... but no, ceasefire the next evening before I could even decide whether to send him scavanging or not. It was sad because I could have left everyone in bed or guarding and easily have everyone survive (or gone on two nights of completely failed and useless scavanging runs).
It actually left me feeling a bit sad in real life, as though I came some close but failed real people. I think it really sums up what the dev's wanted the game to play like (desperation and uncertainty) as well as the tragic portrayal of war.
So yeah, actually me choosing what places are available, what days until events, etc, I think will ruin the experience and gameplay a bit.

[Cetoiscini]

Actually, I've also gone through the tragic moment of losing someone near the endgame. Damnit Roman, I shouldn't have sent you into a dangerous location, 5 days before the ceasefire... Not to mention Kalina had been talking about you all the time ever since you were gone... ;_;

But yes, all depression aside, I really think there should be a random setting for each option like the length of the war, or of the winter, or the exact locations that will appear. War is supposed to be unpredictable, and having the ability to pick the options yourself (especially the 3 options above) would ruin the feels. I don't want to randomize the characters though, I like inventing stories. Also there should be other options as well. Like how often neighbors or new survivors knock on your door, or if someone starts out wounded or sick, etc.